Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Holly.
Hi Katie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story doesn’t seem as straightforward as it could’ve been. I started out as an art major at UCLA with an interest in photography. I soon discovered that the goal of graduating with a bachelor’s degree did not grant me a guarantee of having a career without thousands of dollars’ worth of debt. I switched to my local junior college and started taking more affordable general education courses required for a degree. I fell upon the psychology of neurobiology, as well as other psychology classes, and quickly found a passion. My impatience got the better of me again, and I decided to switch to a faster route of acquiring a career, with which trade school seemed to be the best answer. I decided on Massage and the synchronicity took over from there. I got into a heavily anatomy-based neuromuscular school and realized my love of psychology was equally matched with my love of physiology. After graduating with 1000-hour certificate for a massage therapy, I began taking extracurricular courses, including oncology massage, craniosacral therapy, and BodyTalk. The timing of the classes matched up perfectly, and it was just one of those scenarios where everything felt a little too easy. My desire to know more about the body and mind was insatiable, and these different perspectives of somatic healing really clicked with me and the work I was doing with my clients. Six years ago, I took a break from my work to be a full-time mom, and now that my son is in school, I am able to give more attention to my career again, and I have an even greater perspective of life and the challenges we all face. I’m extremely grateful to be able to do the work that I do and be a witness to other people’s healing.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It’s been a fairly smooth road, besides needing to take time off work to take care of my son. I wouldn’t have done it any other way, but I was sad to set aside this career of mine that filled me up so much.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Whole Bodymind Healing?
I specialize in assessing energetic blocks that manifest as physical tension in the body. I use muscle testing and intuition to understand the story. The body has to tell and utilize somatic techniques, such as tapping, stretching, unwinding of tissues, and breathing, to help facilitate release in the body and the mind; I also work with a nonprofit organization called Strength in Pain Foundation. They specialize in helping people who’ve suffered from TBIs or traumatic brain injuries and guiding them towards resources that may aid in TBI symptom relief. Craniosacral therapy is extremely beneficial for people who have had head injuries and neurological disorders. I am most proud of the perspective I’ve gleaned from my work and practice, that forceful work isn’t always the most efficient or effective. Often, the body just needs space and permission to process and let go of trauma.
I also love to work with children who have had issues with learning or behavior, as well as those who have had tension or torsion in the body, such as torticollis. Children respond so quickly to gentle touch Therapy and Energy Work. It’s always really lovely to see them calm down on the table and feel better afterwards.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
My clients are my best mentors. They’ve always reminded me to show up where they are at. My greatest hope is to remind people of their own innate healing power and that most healing is an inside job. Sometimes, we just need a little help from others.
The best networking that I’ve found is from others in the healing field. Particularly those who are aware that sometimes less is often more when it comes to healing. My work is so specific that it can be hard to market, and people really only come to me when they’re ready for this type of deep healing; I’m excited and grateful to work with anyone, no matter what part of their healing journey they’re on.
The most effective form of growth for me and my business has always been to just be as authentic as I can be. Not to make any false promises regarding people’s healing, and to again, always meet people where they are.
Contact Info:
- Website: Wholebodymindhealing.com
- Instagram: @wholebodymindhealing
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/FVrA2fL60a
